Arts Council plans workshops on the spoken word

   Whenever the Arts Council hosts a literary program that invites people to perform their works before an audience (whether it be storytelling, a poetry slam or a reading), invariably participants ask how they can learn to sharpen their delivery skills. In response, the Arts Council is sponsoring two separate workshops geared to helping individuals improve their presentation skills.
   The first, entitled "From Page to Podium: A Workshop for Improving Your Public Reading Skills," will take place on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Taught by Julie Donaldson, an actress, improvisational artist and teacher of "Lifestories" classes at the Arts Council, this two-hour workshop is geared to anyone who wants to avoid the many pitfalls of reading or presenting aloud.
   As a recent New York Times article on this subject made clear, live reading can be a grisly thing.
   "The goal of this workshop is to project the life of a manuscript from the page to the audience, to make the work ‘live,’" says Ms. Donaldson. "It can be poetry, prose, fiction, or nonfiction, and it doesn’t even have to be your original work; the idea is to ignite a spark in yourself, and then to cause that spark to catch fire in the audience."
   Participants are asked to bring something to read in the class; it does not have to be original. The cost is $25 per person. Because no more than 12 participants can be accommodated in "From Page to Podium," pre-registration is required.
   The second presentation seminar, "Poetry Slam Workshop with Postmidnight and Friends," will take place on Sunday, March 16, from 4 to 6:30 p.m., just in time to hone one’s skills for the Arts Council’s next poetry slam, on March 28.
   This is a hands-on opportunity to be trained by the pros, including National Poetry Slam performers Postmidnight, Michael O’Hara, and J. Simone. Free-stylers and other poets who want to add sparkle to their public presentations will also benefit from this workshop.
   Russell Simmons, the hip-hop entrepreneur whose show "Def Poetry Jam" is now on Broadway, confirms a widely observed phenomenon: More and more young people are writing poetry and seeking to perform it. "This new spoken-word thing is really going to change the world," says Mr. Simmons. "It’s a lot harder to write a poem than to write rap lyrics to go with music. When you write a poem without music, you feel you’ve got to say something."
   Poetry slams are bringing poetry alive at bars, coffeehouses, schools, and theaters across the country. Local poetry slams, including those hosted by the Arts Council, are always sellout events. The Arts Council’s workshop will demonstrate why this is so, as the teachers focus on creating emotional depth, immediacy, and a personal style in one’s performance. All levels are welcome, and participants may bring with them their own work-in-progress if they choose to. The cost is $25 per person, although no one will be turned away. Again, pre-registration is required.
   The Arts Council is located at 102 Witherspoon Street, in downtown Princeton.
   For more information on either workshop, please call 924-8777 or visit www.artscouncilofprinceton.org